Using a static IP address with free tier VMs on cloud platforms like Google Cloud Platform (GCP), Amazon Web Services (AWS), and others involves understanding the pricing and limitations of each service.
Google Cloud Platform (GCP)
In Google Cloud, the free tier does not explicitly cover static external IP addresses. While ephemeral external IP addresses are generally included in the free tier usage limits for instances like the `f1-micro`, static external IP addresses are typically charged. As of recent reports, users have been charged for static IP addresses even on free tier instances, with costs around $2.92 per month[2]. However, the documentation does not clearly state that static IPs are always charged, and there have been instances where users were not charged for in-use external IPs[4].
To avoid charges, ensure that your static IP is assigned to an instance and not left unassigned, as unassigned static IPs incur charges. If you no longer need a static IP, release it to avoid unnecessary costs[2].
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
AWS provides a free tier for Amazon EC2 instances, which includes 750 hours of free public IPv4 address usage per month. However, this applies to in-use public IPv4 addresses, meaning the address must be attached to an EC2 instance to qualify for the free tier. Static IP addresses (Elastic IP addresses) are not explicitly included in this free tier, but if they are in use, they fall under the same pricing as other public IPv4 addresses[3].
Microsoft Azure and Oracle Cloud
In Microsoft Azure, public IPv4 addresses are charged at $0.004 per hour, with no specific free tier allowance for static IP addresses[7]. Oracle Cloud offers Always Free resources, but these do not specifically include static IP addresses for VMs[8].
In summary, using a static IP address with free tier VMs is generally not possible without incurring costs, especially in Google Cloud and Azure. AWS offers free public IPv4 usage but does not explicitly cover static IP addresses. Always verify the current pricing and policies on each platform's official documentation.
Citations:
[1] https://stackoverflow.com/questions/58665390/google-cloud-free-tier-will-start-charging-for-static-or-ephemeral-ip-address
[2] https://www.reddit.com/r/googlecloud/comments/104gab9/free_tier_static_ip_charge/
[3] https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2024/02/aws-free-tier-750-hours-free-public-ipv4-addresses/
[4] https://serverfault.com/questions/1012277/google-cloud-external-ip-charges-for-free-tier
[5] https://cloud.google.com/compute/docs/ip-addresses/configure-static-internal-ip-address
[6] https://cloud.google.com/compute/docs/ip-addresses/configure-static-external-ip-address
[7] https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/pricing/details/ip-addresses/
[8] https://docs.oracle.com/iaas/Content/FreeTier/freetier_topic-Always_Free_Resources.htm